Process for manufacturing sheet binders

ABSTRACT

This invention teaches binders, a manufacturing process and manufacturing apparatus for binders, sales receipts, checks, and like sheets of paper, the binders having thin film base sheets with at least two opposed edges, and having at least one pressure sensitive adhesive coating strip area extending over one strip section area of the base sheets, the adhesive coating strip area being coterminous with two opposed film base sheet edges. A multiplicity of release coated face, flexible, narrow strip backing sheets are arranged in parallel alignment with adhesive coating strip area, with the release coated faces of the strip backing sheets adjacent to and completely covering the adhesive coating strip area. The multiplicity of strip backing sheets are coterminous at their strip ends with the coterminous adhesive coating strip area and the opposed base sheet edges. A single receipt sheet or the like is secured to a single narrow adhesive coating area, made available on the removal of a single strip backing sheet.

United States Patent Jones, Sr. et al.

[ Oct. 30, 1973 PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING SHEET John Leslie Jones, Jr., 1447 Sutherland St., Los Angeles, Calif.

Filed: Nov. 15, 1971 Appl. No.: 198,601

Related U.S. Application Data Continuation-impart of Ser. Nos. 567,595, July 25, 1966, abandoned, and division of Ser. No. 799,887, Feb. 17, 1969, Pat. No. 3,620,891.

Primary Examiner-Douglas J. Drummond Attorney-John Lesslie Jones [57] ABSTRACT This invention teaches binders, a manufacturing process and manufacturing apparatus for binders, sales receipts, checks, and like sheets of paper, the binders having thin film base sheets with at least two opposed edges, and having at least one pressure sensitive adhesive coating strip area extending over one strip section area of the base sheets, the adhesive coating strip area being coterminous with two opposed film base sheet edges. A multiplicity of release coated face, flexible, narrow strip backing sheets are arranged in parallel alignment with adhesive coating strip area, with the release coated faces of the strip backing sheets adjacent to and completely covering the adhesive coating strip area. The multiplicity of strip backing sheets are coterminous at their strip ends with the coterminous adhesive coating stn'p area and the opposed base sheet edges. A single receipt sheet or the like is secured to a single narrow adhesive coating area, made available on the removal of a single strip backing sheet.

2 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures I Ennmao ms 3.769.130

INV ENTORS. Jol /A/ 4654 /6 JOA/S, 56 JOHN 4654/6 JONES, J6

AGE/V7- PAIENIEuncrso ms 3.769130 SHEET u 0F 4 INVENTORS. JOHN 46506 JONES, 55

/5/ 52% [2 m2 1 I 57 M0 {g as v "in.- h W 1 r 4 L! g I JOHN 46506 JONES, J5

@ hiili v BY FIG. 12 h AGE/V7 v PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING SHEET BINDERS CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of the pending application Ser. No. 567,595, filed July 25, 1966 by the same inventors. The pending application 567,595 is being abandoned on the filing of this subject application RECEIPT BINDERS. This is a division, of application Ser. No. 799,887 filed Feb. 17, 1969, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,620,891.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Large dollar amounts of sales are made by various types of vendors using credit card charge account systems, wherein the vendees sign their signatures and/or have their identifying credit card data imprinted on paper charge sales receipts. Many of the credit card charge systems utilize electronic data computing devices as a part of the bookkeeping procedure to record and correctly prepare billings of the charged purchases made by vendees. Typically, many gasoline service stations credit card charge purchases are entered on small (approximately 3% X 4 /4 inch area size) sales receipts, each of which consist ofa thin (0.00l inch) paper original sales receipt and a thicker (0.006 inch) paper duplicate receipt, with a carbon paper interlayer for preparing the duplicate data reproduction.

Generally, the thin original sales receipts are given the customers or vendees at the times of sales. The thicker completed and signed paper sales duplicates are ordinarily processed on an electronic data computer, to tabulate monthly or other periodic billings for the customers.

Now, substantially, all vendors send the thick computer card sales receipts duplicates to the customers along with the periodic billings, the duplicates being first photocopied by the vendors. The sales receipt duplicates thus are the second receipts of the same sales received by the customers, the first receipts being received at the time of the original sale. Much time, labor and additional postage are spent by vendors processing and forwarding this second set of sale receipt, thick paper duplicates to the many hundreds of thousands of customers.

A first sales receipt given to the customer at the time of original sale should suffice, if the customer is provided with a simple, compact and cheap device for keeping his original sales receipt in an ordered arrangement with other original sales receipts from the same vendor. The customer could then simply place all of his original sales receipts in ordered arrangement at the initial times of his purchases.

Our invention herein disclosed provides means for enabling the customer or vendee to simply place his original sales receipts in an ordered arrangement at the times of'sales.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention teaches binders, a manufacturing process and manufacturing apparatus for binders for sales receipts, checks and like sheets of paper, said binders having thin film base sheets with at least two opposed edges, and having at least one pressure ssnsitive adhesive coating strip area extending over one strip section area of the base sheets, the adhesive coating strip area being coterminous with two opposed base sheet edges. A multiplicity of release coated face, flexible, narrow strip backing sheets are arranged in parallel alignment with the adhesive coating strip area, with the release coated faces of the strip backing sheets adjacent to and completely covering the adhesive coating strip area. The multiplicity of strip backing sheets are coterminous at their strip ends with the coterminous adhesive coating strip area and the opposed base sheet edges. A single receipt sheet or the like is secured to a single narrow adhesive coating area, made available on the removal of a single strip backing sheet.

The multiplicity of release coated face strip backing sheets can be arranged in adjacent overlapping edge strip backing sheets, one under lap edge section of one strip backing sheet being covered by an overlap edge section of an adjacent strip backing sheet.

The manufacturing process for the receipt binders embodies continuously unreeling a continuous web of binder thin film base of paper or the like. A pressure sensitive adhesive coating strip section is continuously applied to the unreeling paper web, and the solvent evaporated from the adhesive coating if necessary. The multiplicity of strip backing sheets are slit from a required web width ofa continuously unreeling roll of release paper. The multiplicity of strip backing sheets are then applied to the adhesive coating strip, or multiplicity of adhesive coating strips, release coated faces of the backing sheets adjacent to and completely covering the adhesive coating strip area. The continuous composite fabricated web of adhesive coated paper and protective strip backing sheets are printed as desired, and then cut normal to the web length into receipt binders of the desired length for use by individuals in storing receipts.

Included in the objects of our invention are:

First, to provide a simple, easily used binder for storage of customers paper receipts for purchased merchandise, services and the like.

Second, to provide compact holders and binders for credit card original charge receipt sheets given charge account customers by gasoline service station vendors, and other vendors, said holders to be used by charge account customers.

Third, to provide simple, easily used binder and storage devices for sales receipts given charge account vendees by department store vendors, and other vendors, which are to be used by vendees.

Fourth, to provide a pre-arranged, ordered means for simply and easily securing a multiplicity of credit charge receipts in a receipt binder.

Fifth, to provide a plurality of pressure sensitive ordered securing means for thin film sheets in a binder device.

Sixth, to provide an integral arranged securing binder sheet means for a plurality of thin film sheets, said arranged securing binder sheet means being a storable device under typical commercial usage and consumer usage conditions.

Seventh, to provide a simple manufacturing process for receipt binders, capable of being used to fabricate individual receipt binders at high production rates and low cost.

Eighth, to provide a simple continuous composite web fabrication process for manufacturing large numbers of individual receipt binders at high production rates.

Ninth, to provide improved apparatus for the manufacture of individual receipt binders at high production rate in a continuous web fabrication operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further objects and advantages of our invention become apparent in the following description, to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan and partial sectional view of a binder of our invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view through 22 of FIG. 1, not drawn completely to scale, due to the difficulty of preparing some of the very small dimensions to scale in a reasonably sized drawing.

FIG. 3 is a further binder modification in plan and partial sectional view.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view through 44 of FIG. 3 not drawn completely to scale, due to the difficulty of preparing some of the very small dimensions to scale in a reasonably sized drawing.

FIG. 5 is a plan and partial sectional view of another modification of our binder invention.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view through 6-6 of FIG. 5 not drawn completely to scale, due to the difficulty of preparing some of the very small dimensions to scale in a reasonable size drawing.

FIG. 7 is a greatly enlarged perspective view through 66 of our binder invention of FIGS. 5 and 6, and shown in an application securing paper sheets.

FIG. 8 is a perspective elevational view of the manufacturing process for fabricating receipt binders at high production rates.

FIG. 9 is a more detailed view of an intermediate step of the manufacturing process, applying pressure sensitive adhesive strip coating areas continuously to a continuously moving paper web.

FIG. 10 is an elevational view of the narrow strip backing sheet overlapping device and of the intermediate step of continuously forming and applying overlapping narrow strip backing sheets to a continuously moving combination of paper web and pressure sensitive adhesive coating strip area.

FIG. 11 is a plan view, through 11-l1 of FIG. 10, of the narrow strip backing sheet overlapping device illustrated in FIG. 10 above, and its operation.

FIG. 12 is an elevational view through l2-12 of FIG. I1 illustrating one orfice plate.

FIG. 13 is an elevational view through l3--l3 of FIG. 11 illustrating the overlapping plate.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the plan view of FIG. 1 in detail, the binder I has a thin film sheet 2 of paper, thin plastic film or the like. A multiplicity of release coated face, flexible, narrow strip, backing sheets 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 are adjacently coextensively, coplanarly arranged in parallel at one border section 3 of the sheet 2. The narrow strip, backing sheets 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 can be in physical contact at the edges or they can be separated by narrow openings 20, 21, 22, 23 spaced parallel to the backing sheets, said openings ranging in width from a few thousandths to hundreds of an inch. The two partial crosssectional views through the flexible backing sheets 4, 5 6, 7, 8 illustrated in FIG. 1, show the pressure sensitive adhesive coating strip areas 9, 10, ll, l2 13 arranged in spaced parallel order, with the openings 14, l5, 16,

17 alternately spaced between the respective adhesive coating strip areas 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. The openings 14, 15, 16, 17 are known as dry alleys on the sheet 2. The adhesive coating strip areas 9, 10, 11, 12 13 are permanently bonded to the sheet 2. It should be noted that the adhesive coating strip areas 9, 10, ll, l2, 13 are coterminous with the two opposed edges of the thin film sheet 2, and that the flexible backing sheets 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 have narrow strip ends which are also coterminous with the two opposed edges of the film sheet 2. The coterminous composite structure of the two opposed edges of the thin film base; and the parallel alignment of the pressure sensitive adhesive coating strip area and the narrow strip, flexible backing sheets, both normal to the two opposed edges of the film base; is an inventive advance in the art taught by these applicants.

Referring to FIG. 2 in detail, the cross sectional view through 22 of FIG. 1 shows the thin film sheet 2 as having a multiplicity of thin pressure sensitive adhesive coatings 9, 10, ll, 12, 13, each of substantially the same width, arranged in ordered parallel array with the alternate spaced openings 14, 15, 16 and 17 arranged between each pair of adhesive coatings 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 respectively. The spaced edge openings 18 and 19 together, complete the spaced openings. The spaced openings 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and I9, and the pressure sensitive adhesive coatings 9, 10, l1, 12, 13, in ordered array, are all covered coplanarly by the narrow strip backing sheets 4, 5, 6, 7, 8; the narrow openings 20, 21, 22 and 23 separating the sheets 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.

Our release coated face, flexible, narrow strip, backing sheets, such as 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 are prepared from paper, cloth or non-woven plastic film and equivalent means, and are treated by known commercial processes to provide one face of each sheet with a release coat face treatment which prevents the one release coat face of each backing sheet from permanently adhering to the pressure sensitive coatings 9, 10, ll, 12, 13 or the like. The one face of each backing sheet having the reiease coat of treatment is commonly designated as the release coated face. The opposed, uncoated or untreated face of each backing sheet can have a surface which is readily printed upon by common printing processes. The release coated face of each of the backing sheets 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are contiguous, and completely coplanarly, coextensive with the areas of the respective pressure sensitive adhesive coatings 9, 10, ll, 12, and 13.

The backing sheets 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are typically 0.00l0.008 inch thick, and the pressure sensitive adhesive coatings 9, 10, 11, I2 and 13 range typically from 0.0005 0.002 inch thick. The pressure sensitive adhesive coatings 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 are typically one-sixteenth to one-fourth inch wide, with the openings 14, 15, l6, l7 typically one-sixteenth to threesixteenths inch wide, with 18 and 19 ranging over about one-sixteenth to one-eighth inch wide.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 together in detail, we show another modification of our invention in binders. The views are similar in scope and representation of FIGS. 1 and 2, showing binder 30 in partial sectional plan and cross sectional views. A thin film sheet 31 has a single, thin pressure sensitive adhesive coating 32 permanently bonded to the sheet 31 and extending over most of the width of the border section 33 of the binder 30. The release coated face, relatively narrow, flexible backing sheets 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 are arranged in closely spaced parallel, adjacent, coplanar,

contiguous order on the single adhesive coating 32, the total area of the ordered backing sheets being at least coplanarly, coextensive with or of greater area than that of the adhesive coating 32. Narrow parallel opening 40, 41, 42, 43, 44 are of the same physical nature as the openings 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 previously described. The dry alleys 45 and 46 are of the same general character and dimensions as the previously described alleys 18 and 19. The backing sheets 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 have the general physical dimensions, and the release coated faces arranged relative to the adhesive coating 32, that the backing sheets 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 have relative to their respective adhesive coatings 9, 10, ll, 12, 13. The coating 32 is typically about 0.001 inch thick.

Again, the partial sectional view of FIG. 3 illustrates the coterminous composite structure of the two opposed edges of the thin film base sheet, and the pressure sensitive adhesive coating strip area, and the narrow strip, flexible backing sheet, both aligned parallel and normal to the two opposed edges of the base sheet, the strip ends terminating at the base sheet edges.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 together in detail, we show still another modification of our binder invention, wherein the partial sectional plan view of FIG. 5 is similar in general scope to that of FIG. 3; and FIG. 6 discloses the difference in this binder modification as compared to our modification of FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 5 shows a partial sectional plan view of binder 50 having a thin film sheet 51 and a single, thin, pressure sensitive adhesive coating 52 permanently bonded to sheet 51 and extending over most of the width of the border section 53 of the binder 50. The plurality of release coated face, narrow, flexible backing sheets 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60 are arranged in parallel overlapping order on the single adhesive coating, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The backing sheets 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59 have overlap sections 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66 respectively covering the backing sheets.

Typically, the backing sheet 56 has an overlap section 62 which overlaps an underlap section 61a of the backing sheet 55; the backing sheet 55 has an overlap section 61 which overlaps an underlap section 67a of backing sheet 54, and so on. The first overlap 61, and overlaps 62, 63, 64, 65, 66 cover the respective first underlap 67a, and underlaps 61a, 62a, 63a, 64a, 65a. Typically, the backing sheets overlaps 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66 are about one-eighth inch wide, and are a plurality of another modification of dry alleys, being easy to use for finger tip removal of sections of the backing sheets. Thus backing sheets 54, 55, 5'6, 57, 58, 59, 60 are typically each five-sixteenths inch wide and have one-eighth inch overlaps, and the total width of the bracketed area section 53 is approximately 1 Va inches, allowing for another type of dry alley at the edge 67 of 54 and the edge 68 of 60. The release coated face of each backing sheet is partially contiguously adjacent to the adhesive coating 52, excepting backing sheet 54, which is completely coplanarly contiguous to coating 52. Terminal edge section 68 of sheet 60 has no contiguous overlapping edge section of a backing sheet covering it.

Further, FIG. 5 also illustrates the composite structure of the two opposed edges of the thin film base sheet, and pressure sensitive adhesive coating strip area and the narrow strip, flexible backing sheets, aligned parallel and normal to the two opposed edges of the base sheet, the strip ends terminating at the base sheet edges.

We may combine the multiplicity of adhesive coatings typically of 9, 10, 11, l2, l3 and the like, with the plurality of overlapped backing sheets 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60 and the like, to provide still another modification of our invention.

In application of our binders, they may be freely distributed at points of sale by the vendor stores, gasoline service stations, banks, other sales organizations maintaining credit charge account systems, or they may be sent to vendees or customers with their monthly or other periodic billing. Both methods of distribution may be used, in order to insure their wide usage by the customers. By an educational process, the customers are induced to secure their original credit card charges sales receipts in our binders at the time of the original sale charges.

In practice, the customer employs our binder of FIGS. 5 and 6 to form an article illustrated in enlarged perspective partial sectional view by FIG. 7. To form the article of FIG. 7, the customer removes backing sheet 60 of FIGS. 5 and 6, by lifting it off by either dry alley 68 or overlap section 66, and adhesively secures the paper sales receipt 101 to coating 52, one edge of receipt 101 being parallel and coterminous with the edge of underlap a. Later, the backing sheet 59 is removed from the binder 50, by lifting it off by the dry alley overlap section 65, and the receipt 102 is secured to adhesive coating 52, said receipt being parallel and coterminous to the edge of underlap 64a of backing sheet 58. Still later, the backing sheet 58 is removed from binder 50, by lifting it off by the overlap section 64, and the receipt 103 is secured to adhesive coating 52, said receipt being parallel and coterminous to the edge of underlap 63a of backing sheet 57.

In a like manner to the just above described serial placement of receipts 101, 102 and 103, receipts 104, 105, 106 and 107 are placed on the single adhesive coating 52 to form the ordered receipt folder illustrated in FIG. 7.

In order to ensure widespread distribution and use of our receipt binders, it is necessary to produce the binders at low cost. With the object of producing the binders at low cost, we have invented a manufacturing process for making the binders which is capable of high production rate and low labor cost, with no intermediate handling of partially fabricated receipt binders by factory personnel.

FIG. 8 illustrates the receipt binder manufacturing process in detail, utilizing a roll of raw material thin film sheet stock and a roll of release backing paper stock. The roll of thin film sheet stock may be a roll of heavy paper stock, typically 60 to 110 pound weight paper stock, having a paper web width 81 which is equivalent to the typical binder width 24 of binder 1, width 47 of binder 30, and width 69 of binder 50, or the like binder as required. The web width 81 can be wide enough to provide a folded binder cover, if desired. The single thickness of paper sheet, as tautly unrolled, continuously passes over the roller 82. The hot melt adhesive melter and extruder combination 83 continuously melts and extrudes the molten pressure sensitive adhesive coating strip 84 through the heated hose 85 and narrow, single slit extruder head 86 onto the continuously moving paper web 87. As the paper web 87 moves the distance 88 from the roller 82 to the multiple grooved roller 89, the molten pressure sensitive adhesive coating strip 84 is cooled by known means to a tacky, pressure sensitive adhesive strip 84 at ordinary room temperature.

We prefer the extrusion of a non-volatile hot melt pressure sensitive adhesive coating onto a paper web, or the like, as most rapid and cheap. However, we can also apply on the paper web a coating of a pressure sensitive adhesive dissolved in an organic solvent solution or aqueous emulsion, forming an adhesive strip equivalent to strip 84 after the solvent or water is volatilized during the transport of the paper web the distance 88.

The roll 90 of release coated face, flexible backing sheet stock is continuously unrolled and pulled through the pair of standard paper slitting rolls 91, which slit the single backing sheet 92 into multiple flexible, narrow strip backing sheets 93. The grooved roller 89 serves to guide the separate single narrow strip backing sheets 93 onto their proper respective positions on the tacky, pressure sensitive adhesive coating strip 84', with the release coated face of each of the single sheets 93 in direct adhering contact with the adhesive coating strip 84. The first pair of powered paper transport rolls 94 function to pull the paper web 87, the adhesive coating strip 84' and the multiple backing sheets 93 through the rolls 94, and also to properly squeeze, seat or adhere the multiple backing sheets 93 to the adhesive coating strip 84.

The first pair of printing rolls 95 print the desired indicia on one face 87 of the paper web 84 and the second pair of printing rolls 96 print indicia on the opposed face 87" of the paper web 87. A second pair of powered paper transport rolls 97 are synchronized to the linear speed of the first pair of transport rolls 94 to provide smooth transport speed of the paper web 87 through the apparatus, without wrinkling or tearing the paper web 87. A rotary paper cutter combination 98 has a powered rotating paper sheet cutter 98' cutting the fabricated, printed, composite web 87" into the discrete single receipt binders 99, 99, 99" and the like, by impacting the plural, sharp, linear knife blades 100 on the stationary cutting plate 98". The circumferential spacing between the plural knife blades 100 provides the equivalent length 25 of binder l, or of length 48 of binder 30, or oflength 70 of binder 50, by the regulated distance between knife blade shearings of the fabricated composite web 87". The rotary speed of the rotating paper sheet cutter 98' is synchronized with the linear speed of the fabricated composite paper web 87" and the pairs of powered rolls 94 and 97, to provide a closely controlled, regulated binder length 25, 48, 70 or the like.

In FIG. 9 additional details of one step of continuously extruding multiple, hot, molten pressure sensitive adhesive coating strips 110 onto the continuously moving paper web 111 are illustrated. The hot melt extruder head 112 corresponds to the equivalent extruder head 86 of FIG. 8 except that the extruder head 112 has six equal narrow width extruding slots 113, separated by the corresponding five equal width, narrow blank plates 114 which prevent adhesive coating extrusion. Thus, the extruder head extrudes six equal width pressure sensitive adhesive coating strips 110, each separated by one of the five equal width non-adhesive coated dry alleys 115, as the continuously transported paper web 111 is pulled in the direction 116 over the roller 117, the roller 117 being equivalent to roll 82 of FIG. 8. Thus, a pressure sensitive adhesive coating strip pattern equivalent to the adhesive pattern of FIG. 1 is easily continuously formed on a continuously transported paper web.

FIGS. 10, ll, 12 and 13 in detail together illustrate steps for continuously applying a multiple array of parallel, overlapping release coated face, flexible, narrow strip backing sheets to a single wide strip of pressure sensitive adhesive coating disposed on a continuously transported paper web, the strip of adhesive coating being continuously applied to the paper web in a strip parallel to the paper web transport direction.

FIGS. 10 and 11 together illustrate, in side elevational view and plan view respectively, the mechanism and the operation of the narrow strip backing sheet overlapping device 120. The pair of standard paper slitting rolls 121 continuously slit the single wide backing sheet 122 into multiple, flexible narrow strip backing sheets 123. The multiple backing sheets 123 separately pass over the grooved pulley 124, each sheet 123 disposed in a separate coplanar pulley groove 125. The multiple narrow strip backing sheets 123 each separately enter the overlapping device through a single narrow slot orfice which is best shown in the view of FIG. 12. FIG. 12 is an elevation view through 12- 12 of FIG. 11, showing the multiple narrow slot orfices 126, disposed uniformly closely spaced in a coplanar array in the metal orfice plate 127. The'narrow slot orfices 126 are typically 0.188 inch wide X 0.047 inch high in planar dimensions, penetrating completely through the orfice plate 127 and having rounded orfice edges to prevent cutting or tearing of the paper backing sheets 123. The multiple orfice plate support blanks 128 typically are 0.047 inch wide, and they separate the slot orfices 126.

The orfice plate 127 is secured by fasteners to the two support and spacer beams 129 and 130, and the fasteners 140 also support and secure the overlapping orfice plate 131. The orfice plate 131 is shown in plan view in FIG. 13, taken from the elevational view through 13-13 of FIG. 11. In FIG. 13 the multiple narrow slot orfices 132 are shown disposed in a uniformly closely spaced one-half slot orfice width overlapping array in the orfice plate 131. The narrow slot orfices 132 are the same planar dimensions as the companion orfices 126, each accommodating the same width and thickness of narrow strip backing sheet 123. The orfices 132 are disposed in the one-half slot orfice width overlapping array, by spacing each slot orfice 132, of slot width w, a stepped distance raw to the right of the orfice 132 below it on the plate 131. The space h between the slot orfices 132 is typically 0.047 inch or the like and the orfices 132 have rounded edges to prevent cutting sheets 123.

The one-half strip width overlapped narrow strip backing sheets 123 are show in plan view array 133, issuing from orfice plate 131 in FIG. 11, and in elevation view array 133' issuing from plate 131 in FIG. 10. The rubber covered roller 134 is disposed adjacently parallel to the orfice plate 131, and compressively functions to adhesively bond and secure by roller pressure the overlapped narrow strip backing sheets 133 to the single, continuous pressure sensitive adhesive coating, wide strip 135. The adhesive coating, wide strip 135, is disposed on and bonded to the continuously transported paper sheet web 136, which is moving in the web motion direction 137. A base plate 138 is disposed under, parallel to, and supports the paper sheet web 136. The base plate 138 is at least coextensive in area with the paper web 136 on which the four rotating support wheels 139 of the narrow strip backing sheet overlapping device 120 are disposed.

In addition, the coextensive base plate area also includes the contact area of roller 134 and paper web 136.

Although we illustrate in detail the apparatus and process for fabricating narrow strip backing sheets serially disposed in regulated overlapping one-half of the narrow strip widths, we may also overlap the narrow strip backing sheets on the fractional values of the narrow strip widths, or not overlap the backing sheets at all. We may also vary the values of the fractional strip widths we overlap in a serially regulated overlapping array of strip widths on a single receipt binder.

The manufacturing process and apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 813, are utilized as necessary to fabricate our receipt binder modifications of FIGS. 1-6, or the like, or combinations of these modifications. As our manufacturing process clearly illustrates, there is no intermediate handling of partially fabricated receipt binders by personnel, which would greatly increase labor costs. The planar dimensions of our receipt binders, such as widths 24, 47 and 69 and the length of the binders 25, 48 and 70 are those necessary to accommodate the size of sales receipts, blank checks or other paper sheets we wish to bind in an ordered array.

Our receipt binder invention teaches a thin film sheet having at least two opposed edges; or or more pressure sensitive adhesive coating strip areas permanently secured to and covering a strip section area of the thin film sheet and being coterminous with the at least two opposed thin film sheet edges; and a plurality of release coated face, flexible, narrow strip backing sheets, each backing sheet release coated face cooperatively covering and at least partially contiguous to a narrow strip of the at least one pressure sensitive adhesive coating area, the plurality of backing sheets at least, completely covering the at least one pressure sensitive adhesive coating and having narrow strip ends coterminous with the two opposed edges of the film sheet.

A typical hot melt pressure sensitive adhesive composition which can be extruded to form the pressure sensitive adhesive strip areas 9l3, 32, 52, 84, 1 10, 135 and the like contains no solvent and no component substantially volatile at the adhesive extrusion temperature. Thus, only an adhesive cooling and hardening time period is required after the adhesive is extruded onto the paper web, before the narrow stripbacking sheets are overlaid on the adhesive coating area. A typical pressure sensitive adhesive formulation which was developed for this process is listed in Table I.

a solvent free vinyl ethyl ether polymer having a reduced viscosity of 0.3:0.l at C and a sp. gr. of 0.973 at 20C a glycerol ester of hydrogenated rosin having a softening point of 80-88C and a maximum acid number of 10.

The adhesive may be extruded typically in the temperature range of 80-l00C.

Our binder modifications of FIGS. 1 and 2, or FIGS. 3 and 4, or FIGS. 5 and 6, may likewise be used to secure sales receipts, checks or other paper sheets in an ordered array, similar to FIG. 7. By securing the sales receipts for successive purchases in a chronological or dated order in our binder l, or other binder modifications of our invention, the customer is quickly able to verify the date, identity, and value of these credit charge purchases against the computer tabulated bill sent him by the vendor, eliminating confusion, checking billing errors and saving billing costs. We propose to decrease billing and postage mailing costs by educating the customer to keep his original sales charge receipts in our binder 1, or the modifications of FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, or other modifications within the scope of our invention. Thus we eliminate the requirement to send the customer the second or duplicate set of computer card receipts at the time of the periodic sales billing.

We may embody covers for our binders. We may place printed advertising, instructions, notices, trade marks, decorative art and the like on our binder sheets, and also on the covers. We may provide pressure sensitive adhesive coatings which adhere permanently to the binder sheets 2, 31, 51, 71 or the like; or adhesive coatings which will permit the release of sales receipt sheets 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, or the like, after their first attachment to the adhesive coatings.

Obviously many modifications and variations in receipt binders and manufacturing process and apparatus may be made in the light of our teachings. It is, there fore, understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

We claim:

1. A process for the manufacture of sheet binders comprising:

continuously extruding at least one hot melt pressure sensitive adhesive coating strip area onto a continuously moving thin film base web area, forming at least one continuous adhesive coated strip area on a continuous thin film base web;

continuously cooling said adhesive coating strip area to room temperature;

continuously slitting a broad width of a continuous length of release coated face, flexible backing sheet into a plurality of narrow cover strips having controlled width patterns;

continuously disposing said plurality of narrow cover strips in a parallel patterned array, including a first cover strip;

continuously adhering said plurality of narrow cover strips parallel to said at least one continuous adhesive coating strip area on said continuous thin film base web, said first cover strip completely contiguously covering coplanarly an edge section of said at least one pressure sensitive coated strip area, disposing each one of the remainder of said plurality of cover strips providing an overlap edge section area covering an underlap edge section area of a parallel, adjacent cover strip, including a second cover strip edge section area covering the underlap edge section area of said first cover strip, the release coated face of each one of said plurality of cover strips at least partially contiguously covering the adjacent and,

periodically cutting the fabricated composite web,

normal to the continous direction of the web motion, into individual sheet binders.

2. A process for the manufacture of sheet binders comprising:

forming at least one continuous pressure sensitive adhesive coated strip area on a continuously moving thin film base web;

continuously slitting a broad width of a continuous length of release coated face, flexible backing sheet into a plurality of narrow cover strips having controlled width patterns;

continuously disposing said plurality of narrow cover strips in a parallel patterned array, including a first cover strip;

continuously adhering said plurality of narrow cover strips parallel to said at least one continuous adhesive coating strip area on said continuous thin film base web, said first cover strip completely contiguously covering coplanarly an edge section of said at least one pressure sensitive coated strip area, disposing each one of the remainder of said plurality of cover strips providing an overlap edge section area covering an underlap edge section area of a parallel, adjacent cover strip, including a second cover strip edge section area covering the underlap edge section area of said first cover strip, the release coated face of each one of said plurality of cover strips at least partially contiguousiy covering the adjacent at least one said pressure sensitive adhesive strip area, and said plurality of cover strips covering all of said at least one pressure sensitive adhesive coated strip area;

at least one said pressure sensitive adhesive strip area, and said plurality of cover strips covering all of said at least one pressure sensitive adhesive coated strip area; and

periodically cutting the fabricated composite web,

normal to the continuous direction of the web motion, into individual sheet binders. 

2. A process for the manufacture of sheet binders comprising: forming at least one continuous pressure sensitive adhesive coated strip area on a continuously moving thin film base web; continuously slitting a broad width of a continuous length of release coated face, flexible backing sheet into a plurality of narrow cover strips having controlled width patterns; continuously disposing said plurality of narrow cover strips in a parallel patterned array, including a first cover strip; continuously adhering said plurality of narrow cover strips parallel to said at least one continuous adhesive coating strip area on said continuous thin film base web, said first cover strip completely contiguously covering coplanarly an edge section of said at least one pressure sensitive coated strip area, disposing each one of the remainder of said plurality of cover strips providing an overlap edge section area covering an underlap edge section area of a parallel, adjacent cover strip, including a second cover strip edge section area covering the underlap edge section area of said first cover strip, the release coated face of each one of said plurality of cover strips at least partially contiguously covering the adjacent at least one said pressure sensitive adhesive strip area, and said plurality of cover strips covering all of said at least one pressure sensitive adhesive coated strip area; and periodically cutting the fabricated composite web, normal to the continuous direction of the web motion, into individual sheet binders. 